Antirattling thill-coupling.



Patented Oct. 29, l9 0l.

R. E. SEARS. ANTIRATTLING THILL COUPLING.

2 sheets-Shem I.

.(No Model.)

Maven/Z617 ea/vj Patnted out. 29, IBM. n. E. SEARS. I I ANTIBATTLING THILL' COUPLING.

2 sheets-sheet 2.

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(Application filed Dec. 27, 1900.) (N o M o d e l Lucia ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN n. SEARS, or MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA.

ANTIRATTLING THlLL-QOUPLING.

SFECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,436, dated October 29, 1901.

Application filed December 27, 1900. Serial No. 41,191. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, REUBEN E. SEARS, a citizen of the United States, and .a resident of Marshalltown, county of Marshall, and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Antirattler Thill-Oouplings, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a thill-coupling of the antirattler and quickcoupler type which shall be more durable, less likely to get out of order, and more readily operated both for the insertion and release of the thill than has heretofore been the case. To accomplish this object, instead of the ordinary bolt-holes through which the thill-bolt is thrust I employ bolt-slots preferably open at one end, so that the thill, with the bolt already in it, may be rapidly slipped into and out of the channel formed by a pair of parallel bolt-slots, and I secure the thill in place by a spring clasping device, which consists principally of a strip of spring metal and a cam-lever, which forces the spring against the end of the thill and looks it in place.

My invention therefore consists in an antirattler thill-coupling and quick coupler which is composed of a suitable frame, a pair of elongated slots forming a channel therein for the insertion of the thill-bolts, a spring clasping device adapted to be inserted in said channel and across the end of the thill and to exert pressure against the surface thereof, and suitable means whereby said spring clasping device is held securely in position in the frame when in use. 7

In order to show the simplicity and efficiency of my improved coupler, I have shown two somewhat-different forms of spring clasping device in the accompanying drawings. In one form the spring clasping device'is detachable,bein g made in separate pieces, and in the other form the various parts of the spring clasping device are hung upon the couplingframe, so that they do not become detached on opening the clasp.

Figure 1 is a top plan of the device in the detachable form. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite side. Fig. 4. is a vertical cross-section. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the device open just before compressing the spring of the lever. Fig. 6 is a detail of the detachable lever. Fig. 7

is a detail of the detachable spring. Fig. 8 is a top plan of the coupling when the lever and spring are not detachable, but are hung on the coupler-frame. Fig. 9 is a side elevation. Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-section. Fig. 11 is a perspective view.

Same letters indicate similar parts in the different figures.

A is the usual clip, which goes over the axle and is bolted thereto. B is the couplerframe, secured to said clip and preferably integral therewith. In each of the side plates of the frame B is a bolt-slot C, which may run perpendicularly, horizontally, or at any de-- sired incline, but is preferably somewhat inclined, as the thill-iron D, in which the thillbolt E has already been inserted, can be more readily slipped into position in such a case. The thill-bolt E is preferably provided with a shoulder 6 near each end, so as to prevent its Working sidewise and dropping out when in position in the bolt-slots.

F is a strip of spring metal which constitutes the spring member of the device and when used in the detachable form, as shown in Fig. 7, is preferably provided with aflanged head f, adapted to slip into the groove f, cut in the face of the side plate 13 of the frame B. The head serves partly to lock the spring F, as the pressure exerted by the lever-cam, as hereinafter explained, tends to draw the head f into the groove f rather than expel it.

G is the cam-lever, which in the detachable form shown in Fig. 6 has a projecting pin or axle g on each side of the cam-head g, which projecting pins slip into the groove 9 0f the sideplate B When the spring F and the lever Gare not detachable, the grooves f and 9 may be dispensed with, the lever and spring being hung on the plates L and K, respectively, (see Figs. 9 to 11,) which are hung at some convenient part of the coupler-frame, as shown at k. The plate I has an opening 1, through which the end of the spring F passes and which allows sufficient play for the depression of the spring by the action of the camlever G. In this form when not in use the cam-lever and the plate to which it is pivoted hang loosely on one side of the coupler-frame, while the spring F and the plate K, to which it is pivoted, hang loosely from the other side.

The configuration of the cam-head g of the cam-lever G is such that when the lever is in the position shown in Figs. 4 and 10 the spring F is pressed down against the thilliron, thus preventing any tendency to rattle. WVhen the lever is thrown back in the position shown in Fig. 11, the lever no longer exerts pressure upon the spring and can be easily drawn out, and both parts can be easily lifted out of the bolt-slots, thereby affording free passage for the withdrawal of the thill-iron without removing the bolt therefrom.

I claiml. The above-described antirattler thillcoupling and quick coupler which consists of a suitable frame, a pair of elongated slots, forming a channel therein for insertion of the thill-bolt, a piece of spring metal held at one side of said frame and when inserted in said slots extending from one to the other across the end of the thill and a lever pivoted at the other side of said frame and when inserted in said slots exerting pressure on said spring metal to force the same against the thill.

2. The above-described antirattler thillcoupling and quick coupler which consists of a suitable frame, a pair of elongated slots, forming a channel therein, for insertion of the thill-bolt, a detachable piece of spring metal adapted to be held at one side of said frame and when inserted in said slots extending from one to the other across the end of the thill and a detachable lever pivoted at the other side of said frame and when inserted in said slots exerting pressure on said spring metal to force the same against the thill.

REUBEN E. SEARS. Witnesses-z J. M. WHITAKER, HENRY STONE. 

